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Yusril again draws criticism with remarks on past atrocities
“Yusril’s empty rhetoric reflects the state’s continued failure in resolving past rights cases,” said Amnesty Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid.
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Perseverance: Human rights activists and families of victims of atrocities gather on Oct. 3, 2024, outside Merdeka Palace in Jakarta to demand the settlement of past human rights violations. It was the 834th consecutive Thursday rally they organized. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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mnesty International Indonesia has criticized senior minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra for “empty rhetoric” in a speech he gave to commemorate International Human Rights Day, amid sluggish progress in resolving past atrocities and persistent reports of police brutality and discrimination against religious minorities.
In his speech this week, the coordinating law, human rights, immigration and correctional services minister encouraged Indonesians not to be trapped by the past and asserted the government’s commitment to resolving past gross rights abuse cases.
Amnesty Indonesia executive director Usman Hamid said in a statement that “Yusril’s empty rhetoric reflects the state’s continued failure in resolving past rights cases”.
“[The rhetoric] further enables the culture of impunity for state security apparatus involved in human rights violations, despite [Yusril’s] assertion that every citizen has equal indiscriminate rights regardless of their background,” Usman added.
In the speech on Tuesday evening, Yusril, who has previously drawn criticism for controversial comments on past atrocities, emphasized the importance of upholding human rights, saying that collective efforts to “protect, advance and defend” every citizen were key to the country’s future.
He pledged that the administration of President Prabowo Subianto would focus on continuing the human rights progress made by the previous administration, including by supporting the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) and enforcing human rights laws.
“We have to look forward. We record the events of the past, we resolve them to the best of our abilities, but let us not be wrapped up in vengeance and hostility,” Yusril said.
